Game apparatus



Jan. 28, 1936. B. M'acDoUGALL 2,029,177

GAME APPARATS Filed NOV. l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sl'leeil l mm mw N 2 4' M a10 16201 INVENTOR.

Jan. 28, 1936. B. MaCDOUGALL, 2,029,177

GAME APPARATUS 'Filed Nov. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. on Macoya ZZ B; M my M HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 28, 1936- t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS BonMacDougall, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Fred C. McClellan, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 15, 1935, Serial No. 49,909

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-121) This invention relates to game apparatuses.clined playing board I2 which has ball-receiving It is an object of thisinvention to provide an exit openings or pockets I3 formed therein.improved game apparatus which is relatively Slidably mounted in thecabinet II. below the insimple and inexpensive in construction andefclined playing board I2, is a ball-retaining mem- 5 cient in use. berI4 which is provided with ball exit openings Another object of thepresent invention is to I6 and these ball exit openings I6 are adaptedprovide in a game apparatus of the so-called pin to be registered withthe ball exit openings or and marble game type, a novel device forpockets I3 by movement of the ball-retaining changing the effective orscoring values of the member I4. Carried by the slidable ball-retain- 10various ball-receiving pockets or exit openings ing member I4, andnormally arranged below the 10 formed in the playing surface. pocketsI3, are switches I5 `(Figs. 3 and 4). A further object of the presentinvention is to Provided on the inclined playing board l2, adprovide anovel control device, adapted to be jacent each 0f the pockets I3, iS acolored marassociated with a score-indicating instrumentalginal edge 0rborder ll (Fig. l) Formed in the ity, or a plurality of the same, in agame apinclined playing board I2 iS a Sight Opening I3 15 paratus of thepin and marble game type, and and provided on the inclined playing boardI2, by means of which the elective scoring value of adjacent the Sightopening i8, iS a Series 0f a ball lodging in one of the pockets providedon I variously colored parallel strips I9, each of which the playingsurface of the said apparatus may corresponds, in color, to one of thecolored mar- '20 be controlled and varied rather than remaining ginaledgeS or borderS ll 0f the pockets i3, fOr a 20 constant or fixed as inpinand marble games purpose t0 be explained hereinafterheretofore made.Rotatably mounted in the cabinet I I, below the Other objects willappear hereinafter. inclined playing board l2, iS a drum or dial Theinvention consists in the novel combina 20, and provided 0n theperipheral Surface of this tion and arrangement of parts to behereinafter drum 2U are parallel roWS 0f numeralS 2| (Fig. 3), 25

described and claimed. these rows of numerals 2| being visible, one at aThe invention will be best understood by reftime, through the SightOpening i8 (Fig. 1). erence to the accompanying drawings showing 'Ihedrum 20 is mounted on a horizontal shaft the preferred form ofconstruction, and in 22 and likeWiSe Carried by, that iS, Xed On, thiswhich: shaft 22 is a ratchet 23 which includes teeth 24 30 Fig. 1 is atop plan View, partly in section, of a (Fig- 6). game apparatus of theso-called pin and marble Pivotally mounted, aS at 25, in the cabinet ll, game type, embodying a preferred form 'of the adjacent the ratchet'23, is a pawl 26 and this present invention; pawl 2E has Van angled endportion or arm 2l Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, on line WhichiS engageable With the teeth 24 0f the 35 2-2 in Fig. 1; ratchet 23, thepawl 2E being normally urged, by

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view a Spring 23, into thepoSitiOn in Which it iS Shown on line 3-3 in Fig. 1, showing the newcontrol in full lineS, Fig. 6.

device or so-called score changer; Mounted in the cabinet Il, adjacentthe drum 40 Fig. 4 is a sectional detail View of one of the 20, (Fig. 3)is an electromagnet 29 and this elec- 40 ball-receiving'pockets andSwitches; tromagnet 29 includes a movable element or ar- Fig. 5 is abottom plan view of the new control mature 3U Which iS engageable Withan end p0rdevice, on line 5-5 in Fig. 3; tion 3| of the paWl 25.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6-'6 in Fig. 5; Carried by the Shaft22, on Which the drum 7 is a Sectional View on in Fig. is mounted, is a.disc 32, and mounted On Fig 3 is a diagrammatic View of the principaldisc 32 is a circumferentially arranged row of electrical circuitembodied in the inventionyand contacts 33 and 34, the Contacts 34 beingar- Fig. 9 is likewise a diagrammatic View of an ranged at intervalsbetween or relative to the auxiliary electrical circuit embodied in theincontacts 33 (Fig. '7). TheSe movable contacts 0 vention. 33 and 34 aresuccessively engageable with a series 5o A game apparatus of theso-called pin and of spaced and relatively stationary contacts or marblegame type, embodying a preferred form brushes 38, by movement of thedisc 32, as will be of the present invention, is shown in thedrawexplained presently. ings, is therein generally indicated at I0, andMounted on the shaft 22, adjacent the drum comprises a cabinet II whichincludes an in- 20, is a series of electrically insulated and spaced 55rings 35, each oi which has an annular groove formed in its peripheralsurface, and projecting into and working in each of these grooves 36 isa wiping contact or brush 31.

Slidably mounted in the end wall 40 of the cabinet II is an actuatingmember or coin slide 39 and the inner end of the coin slide 39 isengageable with an arm 42 which is attached to, and depends from, theslidable ball-retaining member I4 (Fig. 3).

Associated with and operated by the coin slide 39 is a conventionalso-called full stroke switch 4I and this full stroke switch 4I isarranged, t0- gether with the eiectromagnet 29, and a suitable source ofcurrent 43, such as a battery of dry cells or the like arrangedin thecabinet II, in an electrical circuit 44 (Fig. 9).

Mounted in the cabinet, at a suitable point therein, and preferably atthe head or upper end of the saine, is a bank or. group ofscore-indicating instrumentalities which are shown as having the form oflights 45 and arranged in front of`v each of these lights 45 is atransparent plate 46 en which is provided a suitable score-indicatingindicium 41 (Fig. 2)..

The score-indicating devices or lights 45 are arranged in an electricalcircuit, generally indicated at 48 (Fig. 8), and which includes, inaddition to the score-indicating devices or lights 45, the switches I5,a suitable source of current, such as a battery of dry cells or the like49 arranged in the cabinet II, and the score-changing or control devicewhich includes the commutator 32--33-34-38-36-31 and associated parts.

The circuit 48 also includes a group of conductors 50, which lead fromthe switches I5 to the stationary contacts 38, and a group of conductors5I which lead from the contacts 34 to the conductive rings 35 (Figs. 7and 8). Likewise embodied in the circuit 48 is a conductor 52 whichelectrically connects all of the contacts 33 with one of the conductiverings 35.

Also embodied in the circuit 48 is a group oi' conductors 53 which leadfrom the brushes 31 to the score-indicating devices or lights 45 (Fig.8).

Operation When the coin slide 39 is pushed in (left to right, 3) theinner end of the same engages the depending arm 42 of the slidableball-retaining member I4, thereby moving the latter (left to right, Fig.3) into ball-releasing position. This movement of the coin slide 39causes the same to close the full stroke switch, thereby closing thecircuit 44 and energizing the electromagnet 29 which is arrangedtherein. Wlien the electromagnet 29 is thus energized it attracts itsmovable element or armature 30, and when the movable element or armature30 is thus attracted, by its electromagnet 29, it engages the endportion 3I of the pawl 26 and thereby pivots the latter, at 25,(clockwise from fuil to dotted line position, Fig. 6), When the pawi 26is thus pivoted (from full to dotted line position, Fig. 6) its angledend portion or arm 21 engages the teeth 24 of the ratchet 23, and whenthe pawl 26-3I reaches the position in which it is shown in dotted linesin Fig. 6, the angled end portion or arm 21 thereof passes out ofengagement with the teeth 24 of the ratchet 23, whereupon the ratchet23, shaft 22, drum 29, disc 32, and rings 35, are caused to rotate(clockwise, Fig. 6)

When the coin slide 29 is returned to its initial position the switch 4Iis opened, thereby opening the circuit 44 and deenei'gizing theelectromagnet- 29, whereupon the resetting spring 28 will urge the pawl2li-3| back into its initial position (as in full lines, Fig. 6). Duringthis operation, the angled end portion or arm 21 of the pawl 26reengages the teeth 24 of the ratchet 23, thereby stopping the rotationof the ratchet 23-24 and the drum 28. When the drum 20 is thus stoppedone of the rows of numerals 2I thereon will be visible through the sightopening I8, as shown in Fig. 1.

Thus, assuming for the purpose of illustration, that the drum 20 comesto rest with the particular row of numerals 2i visible thereon which isshown in Fig. 1, by reference to which it will be noted that the highestnumeral in the row of numerals which is visibleA in the sight openingsI8 (Fig. 1) is the numeral 25, it being noted that this numeral 20 isdisposed in alignment and registration with the orange-colored stripe54. The arrangement cf the several elements in the circuit 48 is suchthat when the parts are disposed as in Fig. l, that is, when the numeral20 is disposed in alignment with the orange stripe 54, the player maythen, by playing a ball into that particular pocket I3 which issurrounded by an orange colored marginal edge or border, as indicated at55, (Fig. 1), illuminate the particular score-indicating light 45 whichhas a scoring value of 28, (Fig. 2), it being noted that current willthen flow through the circuit 48 as follows: from one side of thecurrent source 49, by way of the conductor 56, into the particularswitchv I5 which is associatedwith the pocket I3 having theorange-colored border 55 (Fig. 1), said switch being designated I5A,(Fig. 8) thence by way of the corresponding conductor 58A, stationarycontact 38A, into the contact 34A, disc 32ccnductor 5IA, conductive ring35A, brush 31A, conductor 53A, into the score-indicating light 55A,which has a scoring value of 20, an

thence by way of the conductor 51 back to the source of current 49. Inthis manner the scoreindicating light or score-registering device 45A,which has a score value of 20, will be actuated or illuminated when, inthe present example, (the parts -being disposed as in Fig. l) the playersucceeds in playing a ball into the particular pocket I3 which has theorange-colored border 55 (Fig. l).

However, the several elements inthe circuit 48 are so arranged that whenthe coin slide 39 is again operated the said pocket I3 which has theorange-colored border 55 (Fig. l), and which had a scoring value of 20,in the foregoing example, will not again be likeiy to have the samescore value, when the device is again operated, as will now beexplained:

When the coin slide 39 is again operated, to rotate the drum 20, throughthe medium of the electro-magnet 29-3Ii, pawl 2G-3|, and ratchet 23, thedrum 20, and the disc 32 and contacts 33-34 carrie-:i thereby will, inall probability, come to rest in diierent relative positions than vthosethey occupy in Figs. l and 8.

Tires, assuming that theparts are disposed as in the foregoing example,that is, as in Figs. 1 and 8 and that the drum'28, discr32 andcoinmutator rings 35-36 are again operated: In this event the disc 32may, for example, come to rest in such a position that the contact 34Awhich was, in the foregoing example, disposed in engagement withstationary contact 38A (Fig. 8) is now disposed in engagement with thestationary contact 38B (Figs. 7 and 8). In this event the particularball-receiving pocket I3 which is associated with the switch ISB (Fig.8) will now have a score value of twenty, and when a ball is played intothe said pocket I3 which is associated with the switch 15B, current willthen ow as follows: From the source of current 49, through the conductor56, through the switch 15B, through the corresponding conductor 50B, andbrush 38B, through the contact 34A (which is at this time disposed inengagement with the stationary contact 38B), through the conductor SIA,through the contact ring 35A, then by way of the brush 31A and conductor53A to the scoreindicating light 35A, which has a score value of twenty,and thence by way of the conductor 51 back to the current source 119.

It will therefore be noted that the scoring value of the pocket i3,which has the orange colored border 55, Fig. 1, and with which theswitch 15A is associated is now two, rather than twenty, as in theprevious example, since the stationary contact 38A, which is associatedwith the switch 15A, is no longer disposed in engagement with thecontact 34A, but is now disposed in engagement with one of the contacts33, all of which contacts 33 are connected, by the conductor 52, to thecontact ring 35C, whereupon current will iiow as follows:

From the current source 59, by way of conductor 56, through the closedswitch 45A, through the contact 38A and the particular contact 33 whichis disposed in engagement therewith, then by way of conductor 52, intothe contact ring 35C, into the brush 37C, and conductor 53C, then intothe light 55C, this light llC being disposed behind the particular plateit which has a scoring Value of 2 (Fig. 2), and thence by way of theconductor l back to the current source 39, thereby illuminating thelight 35C which has a scoring value -of two, it being noted that thislight 655C, which has a scoring value of two, is in this present exampleilluminated by a ball disposed in the same pocket i3, (indicated at 55,Fig. 1) which, in the previous example, had a scoring value of twenty.

It will thus be seen that operation of the present control device, thatis, the movement of the disc 32 and the movable contacts 33 and 361carried thereby, relative to the stationary contacts 38, does not changethe scoring value of the scoreindicating or registering lamps (i5, butmerely varies or changes the scoring value of the ballreceiving pocketsi3 and associated switches l5, that is, the movement of the disc 32 andthe contacts 33 and 34 carried thereby, relative to the stationarycontacts 38, determines which one of the switches i5 will illuminate apre-selected one of the score-indicating lights 35.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into eiect, this is capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit oi` theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A score control device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having armember providing a ball-playing surfaceprovided with ball-receiving pockets, said core control devicecomprising score-indicating means, a plurality of electrical circuitsfor operating said score-indicating means and each of said circuitsincluding a switch closed by the action of a ball entering one of saidpockets, each of said circuits also including a stationary contact and amovable contact and the latter being' movable successively intoengagement with said stationary contacts, and means for moving the saidmovable contacts successively into engagement with the said stationarycontacts to change, by chance, the relative positions between the saidstationary and movable contacts.

2. A score control device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a member providing a ball-playing surfaceprovided with ball-receiving pockets, said score control devicecomprising score-indicating means, a plurality of electrical circuitsfor operating said score-indicating means and each of said circuitsincluding a switch closed by the action of a bali entering one of saidpockets, each of said circuits also including a stationary contact and amovable contact and the latter being movable successively intoengagement with said stationary contacts, and means including anelectro-magnetic device for movingthe said movable contacts successivelyinto engagement with the said stationary contacts to change, by chance,the relative positions between the said stationary and movable contacts.

3. A score control device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a member providing a ball-playing surfaceprovided with ball-receiving pockets, said score control devicecomprising score-indicating means, a plurality of electrical circuitsfor operating said score-indicating means and each of said circuitsincluding a switch closed by the action of a ball entering one of saidpockets, each of said circuits also including a stationary contact, saidscore control device including a movable contact and the latter beingmovable successively into engagement with said stationary contacts, andmeans, including an electro-magnetic device, for moving the said movablecontact successively into engagement with the said stationary contactsto change, by chance, the relative positions between the said stationarycontacts and the said movable contacts.

4. A score control device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a member providing a ball-playing surfaceprovided with ball-receiving pockets, said score control devicecomprising score-indicating means, a plurality of electrical circuitsfor operating said score-indicating means and each of said circuitsincluding a switch closed by the action of a ball entering one of saidpockets, each of said circuits also including a stationary contact, saidscore control device including a movable contact and the latter beingmovable successively into engagement with said stationary contacts, andmeans, including an electro-magnetic device, for moving the said movablecontact successively into engagement with the said stationary contactsto change, by chance, the relative positions between the said stationaryand movable contacts, said second-named means including a switch foroperating the said electro-magnetic device.

BON MACDOUGALL.

